Following the clean-up operation on the beach, the geo-technical expert assessed the cliffs east of Bournemouth Pier to make sure they were safe.

Mr Saunders said: “A geo-technical expert has studied the cliff face and determined that all the debris has now fallen away with no further danger of a landslide.

“A small amount of lose material, however, may fall when it next rains, forecast for Sunday.

“We have been advised that a section of the cliff adjacent to where the landslip occurred does need monitoring over the next few days and therefore the surrounding promenade in that area will stay closed until further notice.”

Doctor Mark Cowley, a chartered engineering geologist, a leading landslide expert, said: “The landslip is likely to be as a result of all the recent wet weather.”

He said the rainwater would have percolated into the sands that appear to make up the slope, and as it does so the overall strength of the soil that make up the slope has been reduced.

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“There is always likely to be some water in the slope but as the extra water flows into it after heavy rain, it cannot drain away very quickly and the soils become what we call fully saturated,” he said.

“In effect the groundwater table rises up within the slope and the ability of the slope to remain stable at its current angle is diminished.”

Dr Cowley, who has 25 years’ experience in this field, said that slopes such as the east cliff in Bournemouth can fail after the heavy rain has occurred.

He added: “There are likely to be more slips in saturated slopes in the coming days and weeks as the groundwater levels rise after a very wet winter.

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“They are not usually a major problem as they are often only fairly minor.

“However people need to be vigilant and be aware of the potential danger that a large slip like this can present.”

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Comments (23)

'There could be more to come' - experts warn of more landslips in Bournemouth after recent storms

rusty james says...8:05am Sat 22 Feb 14

I suggest supporting the cliffs with several miles of ugly green netting and thousands of large metal props. Like at Castlepoint* *I'm being sarcastic (in case anyone from the council reads this).

I suggest supporting the cliffs with several miles of ugly green netting and thousands of large metal props. Like at Castlepoint*
*I'm being sarcastic (in case anyone from the council reads this).rusty james

I suggest supporting the cliffs with several miles of ugly green netting and thousands of large metal props. Like at Castlepoint* *I'm being sarcastic (in case anyone from the council reads this).

Score: 13

nickynoodah says...8:23am Sat 22 Feb 14

Doctor Mark Cowley, a chartered engineering geologist, a leading landslide expert, said: “The landslip is likely to be as a result of all the recent wet weather. I never thought of that what a great expert and doctor brilliant.

Doctor Mark Cowley, a chartered engineering geologist, a leading landslide expert, said: “The landslip is likely to be as a result of all the recent wet weather.
I never thought of that
what a great expert and doctor
brilliant.nickynoodah

Doctor Mark Cowley, a chartered engineering geologist, a leading landslide expert, said: “The landslip is likely to be as a result of all the recent wet weather. I never thought of that what a great expert and doctor brilliant.

Score: 3

spooki says...8:47am Sat 22 Feb 14

"There could be more landslips in the coming days and weeks". Thanks for that. It's like the weather forecast saying "50% chance of rain".

"There could be more landslips in the coming days and weeks". Thanks for that.
It's like the weather forecast saying "50% chance of rain".spooki

"There could be more landslips in the coming days and weeks". Thanks for that. It's like the weather forecast saying "50% chance of rain".

Score: 14

BIGTONE says...9:13am Sat 22 Feb 14

determined that all the debris has now fallen away with no further danger of a landslide........... Are we talking Tories here?

determined that all the debris has now fallen away with no further danger of a landslide...........
Are we talking Tories here?BIGTONE

determined that all the debris has now fallen away with no further danger of a landslide........... Are we talking Tories here?

Score: 7

fedupwithfedupjobsworths says...10:42am Sat 22 Feb 14

Close the beaches for at least a year it's the safest bet. Imagine if all that came down on people walking on the prom when the air show is on in the summer. The jet noise from the Vulcan could bring massive sections down !

Close the beaches for at least a year it's the safest bet. Imagine if all that came down on people walking on the prom when the air show is on in the summer. The jet noise from the Vulcan could bring massive sections down !fedupwithfedupjobsworths

Close the beaches for at least a year it's the safest bet. Imagine if all that came down on people walking on the prom when the air show is on in the summer. The jet noise from the Vulcan could bring massive sections down !

Score: 2

beachcomber1 says...10:46am Sat 22 Feb 14

“A small amount of lose material, however, may fall when it next rains, forecast for Sunday." dear lord, save the english language.

“A small amount of lose material, however, may fall when it next rains, forecast for Sunday."
dear lord, save the english language.beachcomber1

“A small amount of lose material, however, may fall when it next rains, forecast for Sunday." dear lord, save the english language.

Score: 10

PUZZLED ONE says...10:49am Sat 22 Feb 14

Can another 'expert' be employed to tell us whether the sun will shine or whether it will rain on a Sunday in three weeks time?

Can another 'expert' be employed to tell us whether the sun will shine or whether it will rain on a Sunday in three weeks time?PUZZLED ONE

Can another 'expert' be employed to tell us whether the sun will shine or whether it will rain on a Sunday in three weeks time?

Score: 3

John T says...11:07am Sat 22 Feb 14

beachcomber1 wrote…

“A small amount of lose material, however, may fall when it next rains, forecast for Sunday." dear lord, save the english language.

Capital!

[quote][p][bold]beachcomber1[/bold] wrote:
“A small amount of lose material, however, may fall when it next rains, forecast for Sunday."
dear lord, save the english language.[/p][/quote]Capital!John T

beachcomber1 wrote…

“A small amount of lose material, however, may fall when it next rains, forecast for Sunday." dear lord, save the english language.

Capital!

Score: 5

beachcomber1 says...12:49pm Sat 22 Feb 14

John T wrote…

beachcomber1 wrote…

“A small amount of lose material, however, may fall when it next rains, forecast for Sunday." dear lord, save the english language.

Capital!

e e cummings!

[quote][p][bold]John T[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]beachcomber1[/bold] wrote:
“A small amount of lose material, however, may fall when it next rains, forecast for Sunday."
dear lord, save the english language.[/p][/quote]Capital![/p][/quote]e e cummings!beachcomber1

John T wrote…

beachcomber1 wrote…

“A small amount of lose material, however, may fall when it next rains, forecast for Sunday." dear lord, save the english language.

Capital!

e e cummings!

Score: 0

Greatstuff says...1:48pm Sat 22 Feb 14

This chap sounds really knowledgable. Not like the usual experts they wheel out who just state the bleedin' obvious.

This chap sounds really knowledgable. Not like the usual experts they wheel out who just state the bleedin' obvious.Greatstuff

This chap sounds really knowledgable. Not like the usual experts they wheel out who just state the bleedin' obvious.

Score: 5

whataboutthat says...2:06pm Sat 22 Feb 14

Gripping video of digger at work.

Gripping video of digger at work.whataboutthat

Gripping video of digger at work.

Score: 5

kalebmoledirt says...2:10pm Sat 22 Feb 14

Telling us the day before it happened would have made him an expert,at the moment he's like me ,not bad at guessing.standbye tomorrow the tide will turn(I think)

Telling us the day before it happened would have made him an expert,at the moment he's like me ,not bad at guessing.standbye tomorrow the tide will turn(I think)kalebmoledirt

Telling us the day before it happened would have made him an expert,at the moment he's like me ,not bad at guessing.standbye tomorrow the tide will turn(I think)

Score: 2

RivermeadMike says...4:18pm Sat 22 Feb 14

rusty james wrote…

I suggest supporting the cliffs with several miles of ugly green netting and thousands of large metal props. Like at Castlepoint* *I'm being sarcastic (in case anyone from the council reads this).

They should also add shrubbery to bind the soil. Some time ago an idiot in the council had the bright idea to remove a lot of the vegetation at the top!

[quote][p][bold]rusty james[/bold] wrote:
I suggest supporting the cliffs with several miles of ugly green netting and thousands of large metal props. Like at Castlepoint*
*I'm being sarcastic (in case anyone from the council reads this).[/p][/quote]They should also add shrubbery to bind the soil. Some time ago an idiot in the council had the bright idea to remove a lot of the vegetation at the top!RivermeadMike

rusty james wrote…

I suggest supporting the cliffs with several miles of ugly green netting and thousands of large metal props. Like at Castlepoint* *I'm being sarcastic (in case anyone from the council reads this).

They should also add shrubbery to bind the soil. Some time ago an idiot in the council had the bright idea to remove a lot of the vegetation at the top!

Score: 4

Mike_French says...6:08pm Sat 22 Feb 14

I blame the goats

I blame the goatsMike_French

I blame the goats

Score: 3

nickynoodah says...7:36pm Sat 22 Feb 14

there's no such thing as ghosts

there's no such thing as ghostsnickynoodah

there's no such thing as ghosts

Score: 0

kalebmoledirt says...7:42pm Sat 22 Feb 14

nickynoodah wrote…

there's no such thing as ghosts

How do you know ?

[quote][p][bold]nickynoodah[/bold] wrote:
there's no such thing as ghosts[/p][/quote]How do you know ?kalebmoledirt

nickynoodah wrote…

there's no such thing as ghosts

How do you know ?

Score: 0

The-Bleeding-Obvious says...10:26pm Sat 22 Feb 14

Going to have to face the cliffs now with reinforced concrete, its the only way to make them safe.

Going to have to face the cliffs now with reinforced concrete, its the only way to make them safe.The-Bleeding-Obvious

Going to have to face the cliffs now with reinforced concrete, its the only way to make them safe.

Score: -1

billd766 says...2:09am Sun 23 Feb 14

RivermeadMike wrote…

rusty james wrote…

I suggest supporting the cliffs with several miles of ugly green netting and thousands of large metal props. Like at Castlepoint* *I'm being sarcastic (in case anyone from the council reads this).

They should also add shrubbery to bind the soil. Some time ago an idiot in the council had the bright idea to remove a lot of the vegetation at the top!

Over here in Thailand when the land on the hills get deforested and no trees are replanted there are no roots to hold the soil together and so when it rains they get landslides and mudslides. The rivers get blocked and floods occur which is what seems to have happened with the cliff fall but without the resultant floods. It has been happening for millions of years and in years gone by folklore was kept bt the older people and passed down the generations. Now we have experts who are paid to tell us what many people think is just common sense. Don't build a house there as my old granddad told me it floods often sort of thing.

[quote][p][bold]RivermeadMike[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]rusty james[/bold] wrote:
I suggest supporting the cliffs with several miles of ugly green netting and thousands of large metal props. Like at Castlepoint*
*I'm being sarcastic (in case anyone from the council reads this).[/p][/quote]They should also add shrubbery to bind the soil. Some time ago an idiot in the council had the bright idea to remove a lot of the vegetation at the top![/p][/quote]Over here in Thailand when the land on the hills get deforested and no trees are replanted there are no roots to hold the soil together and so when it rains they get landslides and mudslides. The rivers get blocked and floods occur which is what seems to have happened with the cliff fall but without the resultant floods.
It has been happening for millions of years and in years gone by folklore was kept bt the older people and passed down the generations. Now we have experts who are paid to tell us what many people think is just common sense.
Don't build a house there as my old granddad told me it floods often sort of thing.billd766

RivermeadMike wrote…

rusty james wrote…

I suggest supporting the cliffs with several miles of ugly green netting and thousands of large metal props. Like at Castlepoint* *I'm being sarcastic (in case anyone from the council reads this).

They should also add shrubbery to bind the soil. Some time ago an idiot in the council had the bright idea to remove a lot of the vegetation at the top!

Over here in Thailand when the land on the hills get deforested and no trees are replanted there are no roots to hold the soil together and so when it rains they get landslides and mudslides. The rivers get blocked and floods occur which is what seems to have happened with the cliff fall but without the resultant floods. It has been happening for millions of years and in years gone by folklore was kept bt the older people and passed down the generations. Now we have experts who are paid to tell us what many people think is just common sense. Don't build a house there as my old granddad told me it floods often sort of thing.

Score: 1

Lord Spring says...7:49am Sun 23 Feb 14

Mike_French wrote…

I blame the goats

Someone had to bring the Nanny state into it.

[quote][p][bold]Mike_French[/bold] wrote:
I blame the goats[/p][/quote]Someone had to bring the Nanny state into it.Lord Spring

Mike_French wrote…

I blame the goats

Someone had to bring the Nanny state into it.

Score: 3

nothingtofear says...9:55am Sun 23 Feb 14

fedupwithfedupjobswo rths wrote…

Close the beaches for at least a year it's the safest bet. Imagine if all that came down on people walking on the prom when the air show is on in the summer. The jet noise from the Vulcan could bring massive sections down !

The Vulcan would actually have to turn up for a change for that to happen.

[quote][p][bold]fedupwithfedupjobswo
rths[/bold] wrote:
Close the beaches for at least a year it's the safest bet. Imagine if all that came down on people walking on the prom when the air show is on in the summer. The jet noise from the Vulcan could bring massive sections down ![/p][/quote]The Vulcan would actually have to turn up for a change for that to happen.nothingtofear

fedupwithfedupjobswo rths wrote…

Close the beaches for at least a year it's the safest bet. Imagine if all that came down on people walking on the prom when the air show is on in the summer. The jet noise from the Vulcan could bring massive sections down !

The Vulcan would actually have to turn up for a change for that to happen.

Score: 3

Hessenford says...11:47am Sun 23 Feb 14

Doctor Mark Cowley, a chartered engineering geologist, a leading landslide expert, said: “The landslip is likely to be as a result of all the recent wet weather.” . I am always amazed at these so called experts who come out with the blindingly obvious, and to think that these experts are paid vast sums of money, if he could talk my pet hamster could have arrived at the same conclusion.

Doctor Mark Cowley, a chartered engineering geologist, a leading landslide expert, said: “The landslip is likely to be as a result of all the recent wet weather.”
.
I am always amazed at these so called experts who come out with the blindingly obvious, and to think that these experts are paid vast sums of money, if he could talk my pet hamster could have arrived at the same conclusion.Hessenford

Doctor Mark Cowley, a chartered engineering geologist, a leading landslide expert, said: “The landslip is likely to be as a result of all the recent wet weather.” . I am always amazed at these so called experts who come out with the blindingly obvious, and to think that these experts are paid vast sums of money, if he could talk my pet hamster could have arrived at the same conclusion.

Score: 1

Hessenford says...11:49am Sun 23 Feb 14

fedupwithfedupjobswo rths wrote…

Close the beaches for at least a year it's the safest bet. Imagine if all that came down on people walking on the prom when the air show is on in the summer. The jet noise from the Vulcan could bring massive sections down !

No danger there then, the Vulcan never gets off the ground so we should all be pretty safe.

[quote][p][bold]fedupwithfedupjobswo
rths[/bold] wrote:
Close the beaches for at least a year it's the safest bet. Imagine if all that came down on people walking on the prom when the air show is on in the summer. The jet noise from the Vulcan could bring massive sections down ![/p][/quote]No danger there then, the Vulcan never gets off the ground so we should all be pretty safe.Hessenford

fedupwithfedupjobswo rths wrote…

Close the beaches for at least a year it's the safest bet. Imagine if all that came down on people walking on the prom when the air show is on in the summer. The jet noise from the Vulcan could bring massive sections down !

No danger there then, the Vulcan never gets off the ground so we should all be pretty safe.

Score: 1

mightyturbo says...12:34pm Sun 23 Feb 14

"There could be more to come" and yet today's article states "Councillor Lawrence Williams, cabinet member for tourism, said they had no fear of other slips along the cliffs, and that the beach was “perfectly safe”. Well which on is it guys? Better call the so called expert again.

"There could be more to come" and yet today's article states "Councillor Lawrence Williams, cabinet member for tourism, said they had no fear of other slips along the cliffs, and that the beach was “perfectly safe”.
Well which on is it guys? Better call the so called expert again.mightyturbo

"There could be more to come" and yet today's article states "Councillor Lawrence Williams, cabinet member for tourism, said they had no fear of other slips along the cliffs, and that the beach was “perfectly safe”. Well which on is it guys? Better call the so called expert again.

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